Karnataka claims hostage crisis in 'decisive stage': PTI

The Karnataka government on Monday claimed the 36-day-old hostage crisis involving Kannada thespian Dr Rajakumar had entered a 'decisive stage' and it hoped to 'hear positively' in a few days from journalist-emissary R R Gopal, negotiating with forest bandit Veerappan.

Minister for Information B K Chandrasekhar told reporters in Bangalore after an emergency cabinet meeting that it reviewed steps and strategies adopted by the government ever since the actor was abducted from his Gajanur farm house on July 30.

On how the government could claim that the crisis was in a 'decisive stage' in the absence of any concrete response from Gopal, he only said, they expected some 'positive information' in three to four days.

Chandrasekhar said the ministers who attended the meeting unanimously endorsed steps taken by Chief Minister S M Krishna on the hostage crisis.

The meeting was convened in the backdrop of the Supreme Court indefintely staying the release of Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act detenues who are suspected associates of Veerappan, in exchange for the release of Rajakumar and chastising the state government on the issue.

Krishna informed the meeting that the state had also been constantly apprising Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Union Home Minister L K Advani of the developments.

Chandrasekhar said the government had decided not to alter its strategies.